Yunchan Lim’s Goldberg Variations named Apple Music Classical Album of the Year
The pianist’s live Carnegie Hall recording receives the 2026 award after spending 16 weeks at the top of the platform’s global album chart.
Apple Music Classical has named Yunchan Lim’s Bach: Goldberg Variations – Live at Carnegie Hall its Classical Album of the Year 2026.
Released by Decca Classics in February, the recording was selected by the platform’s editorial team from albums released this year. It also attracted a substantial audience, spending 16 weeks at No. 1 on Apple Music Classical’s global Top 100 chart and 39 weeks in the top ten to date.
The award follows Lim’s earlier success on the service, where his recording of Chopin’s Études was its most popular album of 2024.
Lim first encountered the Goldberg Variations at the age of eight through Glenn Gould’s recordings. He describes Bach’s work as ‘a journey of life in music’, tracing a path from the opening Aria through 30 variations to the Aria’s return.
‘I’m truly honoured by this distinction from Apple Music Classical,’ Lim said. ‘To record the Goldberg Variations live at Carnegie Hall was the realisation of a lifelong dream and to see that resonate so broadly is the greatest gift an artist could hope for.’
Anjali Malhotra, Apple Music Classical’s Global Director, said the recording paired ‘exceptional artistry with a deeply personal interpretation’. Lim’s relationship with the service dates back to his role as its launch ambassador in Korea, which included a performance at Apple’s flagship Seoul store.
To mark the award, Apple Music Classical will release an exclusive deluxe edition featuring a digital booklet, commentary from Lim and bonus audio and video content. A separate Classical Session, recorded at Apple’s new Battersea studios, is due for release in early 2027.
